American character actor whose career in films began in the early 1920s. He appeared as rustic or loutish types most often, frequently in Westerns and outdoor adventures, though his last and most notable film,
On the Waterfront (1954), was an exception. He is often confused with the infinitely more prolific
John Hamilton, his
contemporary (best known as Perry White on
Adventures of Superman (1952)), and with British actor
John Hamilton, and was therefore primarily billed as John F.
Hamilton.